Whispering Timber

Wooden cutting boards, bowls

During the years of 1996 &1997, after we settled into our home, we enrolled into Technical College Night Classes in Woodworking. Cindy quickly found her calling on the Wood Lathe with the encouragement of the Instructor while Greg pursued the 'flatwork' end of woodworking spectrum. Along the path of the two years we were awarded certificates for the completion of Woodworking for the Tradesman I & II.

With a 'tight budget' in the following year, we purchased a low-end Lathe and various hand tools for the garage. It was a struggle at first using very crude wood and equipment but beautiful bowls and accents were produced. The first years of bowls were given as gifts to family and friends and the encouragement and amazement that followed kept the hobby growing.

After the turn of the year 2000, power equipment including a new Planer, Joiner, Saws and a Professional Lathe were purchased. We always tried to, and still do, utilize what we call 'New-Life' wood from cutting apart shipping containers for the lumber and using construction site leftovers that were destined for the landfill. Then the Straight-Line Winds of June 2001 hit the area. Majestic trees were toppled over like matchsticks all over the area and the quick thinking of two friends to purchase portable sawmills followed. The sawmills brought out the beauty of Hardwood Oak, Ash, Black Walnut, Maple, Cherry and Birch, along with the distinctive grains of area Fir Trees and Aspen. Byproducts of turning this treasure into usable lumber verses 'left to rot' or firewood provide us with an enormous supply of raw material with little or minimal cost and appreciation from us to our friends. During this time period we ran into our now friend Gerry who produces rustic log style furnishings utilizing mainly forest under story and fallen limbs from the area forests. What followed was an associate that attends art shows across the state with us, and a little, as we could say 'Timber Trading' with him.

The name 'Whispering Timber' evolved from the fact that every piece of timber we use has a story behind it. We like to feel if you listen to the grain like ripples lapping a shoreline on a quiet lake, the story will be 'Whispered' to you. From the White Pine on the ridge that stood behind the old farm, to the Ash shade tree towering above an area brook for decades or even the shipping box that brought a piece of equipment to an area factory, they all have a history and a story to tell.

Being fairly new to the Art Shows scene, we have not as of yet won any Awards for our work. What we have received is great conversations we have with area people about our work and the satisfaction when they fall in love with a piece and carry it home.